Register for railway mail-matter.



PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

A. L. GEORGER. REGISTER FOR RAILWAY MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 1906.

s SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE uoRms PETERS ca, wnsumm'ou, n. :4

No. 879,956. PATENTED FEB. 25, 1 908.

A. L. GBORGER. v v

REGISTER FOR RAILWAY MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 879,956. PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908. A. L. GBORGER. REGISTER FOR RAILWAY MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION FILED 01111.18, 1906.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

0H OFF 1H: NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsHmanm, n. c

- with my invention.

3 to the front side of the front plate.

ARTHUR L. GEORGER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

REGISTER FOR RAILWAY MAIL-MATTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1908.

Application filed January 18. 1906. Serial No. 296.610.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. Gnonenn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New-York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Registers for Railway Mail- Matter, of which the following is a specification.

In the railway postal service it is now the practice to accurately weigh the mail which is carried by the'railroads during a specified time so as to obtain a basis upon which a contract is subsequently entered into between the government and the railways for carrying mails for a specified period without the necessity of weighing the mail during the term of the contract. This method is objectionable inasmuch as the government is liable to pay for more mail than is actually carried and the railroad company is liable to carry more mail than ordinarily would be paid for.

It is the object of this invention to provide an apparatus or device for use on railway cars which permits of conveniently weighing and recording the mail which is received or discharged at the different stations and which registers the distance traveled by the car thereby forming a basis on which the cost of carrying the mail can be accurately computed.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 3 sheets: Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a railway car equipped Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a I horizontal section in line 6-6, Fig. 4. Fig.

7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing the construction of one of the registering and recording devices. Fig. 8 is a face view of a record sheet or strip showing the record produced upon the same by means of my weighing and distance measuring apparatus.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The parts of the register are mounted in a frame which preferably consists of a rectangular rim A, a front or face plate A secured to the front side of thisrim and two side plates or flanges A A secured vertigpillly 1s frame is supported on the inner side of the car by means of a cushioning device so that the registering mechanism will be practically unaffected by the vibrations of the car. This cushioning device, as shown inthe drawings, consists preferably of an equalizing bar or lever B, which is ivotally secured at the center to any part of the car body while its opposite ends are connected bysprings b, bwith the upper end of the registerframe, as shown in Fig. 1. Sliding vertically through an opening in the lower part of the frame rim is a scale bar C, the lower end of which is provided with a hook c or other means for attaching thereto a mail bag or other receptacle containing mail matter. At its upper end this scale bar is provided with a cross head 0 which is guided at its ends in ways on the vertical portions of the frame rim and serves to hold the upper end of the scale bar in place during its vertical movement. scale bar is yieldingly held in an elevated position by means of a counter balancing device which consists preferably of four coil springs c secured at their lower ends to the cross head 0 while their upper ends are secured to the upper part of the frame rim.

The connection between each spring and the frame can be adjusted. The referred means for this purpose, as shown in the drawing,

Figs. 4 and 5, consists of a bolt D passing vertically through an opening in the upper part of the frame rim and having an eye at its lower end which is connected withone of the springs, and a screw nut d arranged on the upper threaded part of the bolt and bearing against the upper side of the frame rim. Upon attaching a mail receptacle to the lower end of the scale bar the same ismoved downwardly against the resistance of the springs 0 this downward movement and the extension of the springs varying in accordance with the variations in the weight of the mail matter.

Means are provided for indicating or registering the weight of the matter suspended on the scale bar. The preferred means for this purpose are constructed as follows: 6, 0 e .represent a plurality of indicator or register dials, wheels or disks which are arranged side by side and axially in line and each of'which has its periphery divided into ten sections which are numbered from 0 to 9. The units wheels 6 of this series is rotated from the scale bar by means of a primary pinion f, meshing with a vertical gear rack F on the scale bar and an inter- The mediate pinion f connected with the primary pinionf and meshing with a gear wheel E on the side of the units wheel. At the end of each rotation of the units wheel the tens wheel a is turned forward one space and the latter at the end of each rotation in like manner turn the hundredths wheel 6 forward one space. Any suitable means may be em ployed for thus causing each higher wheel to move forward one space after each complete turn of the next lower wheel. The means for this purpose shown in the drawings consists of transfer pinions g each. of which engages at its rear end with a gear rim G on the higher wheel while its front end is adapted to be engaged by a single tooth g on the next lower wheel. As the scale bar descends the several dial wheels are turned forwardly by the weight of the mail matter suspended from the scale bar, the figures on the several dial wheels indicating the weight being all in line and arranged opposite a horizontal slot or opening a, in the face plate A As the weight is removed from the scale bar and. the latter is returned to its elevated position by the springs c the dial wheels are also turned backward to zero by the mechanism which operatively connects the same with each other and with the scale bar. For the purpose of enabling a record to be produced of the weight of the mail matter the figures on the dial wheels are made in the form of printing type which permits of taking an impression on a strip or sheet of paper or other recording surface. Means are also provided for shifting the dial wheels bodily lengthwise of their axis so as to permit of producing impressions of the dial wheels in two separate columns on said sheet or strip of paper by which means it is possible to record the weight of all mail matter which is put on the railway car in one column while the weight of the mail matter which is put off the mail car may be recorded in another column. To permit of thus shifting the printing wheels from one position to another the same and the parts associated therewith are mounted on a carriage H, which is movable horizontally and transversely in ways it secured to the rear side of the face plate. This movement of the carriage and the dials mounted thereon is preferably effected by means of a handle 71 connected with the carriage and projecting through an opening in the side of the frame rim and provided with stops ha, ha which engage with said rim for limiting the inward and outward movement of the carriage. In order to maintain a driving connection between the register wheels and the scale bar and still permit of freely mov ing this register horizontally the primary pinionf is elongated so that it will remain in engagement with the gear rack F in either extreme position of the register carriage.

As the mail car moves forward the number of miles traversed by the same are registered so that a record of the same may be taken at the same time that mail matter is either taken on or put off at any station. For this purpose a register or cyclometer is provided which is constructed and operated like that of the weight register, its dials or wheels 6 e 6 a being provided on the periphery with printing type running from 0 to 9 and each higher wheel being moved forward one space upon the completion of each turn of the next lower wheel by means of transfer mechanism 0 similar to that shown in 7.

The means shown in the drawings for operating the units wheel of the cyclometer or distance register from a movable part of the car is preferably constructed as follows: J represents a cam or eccentric secured to the car axle adjacent to the inner side of one of its wheels. This cam engages with the lower depending arm 7c, of an elbow lever F which has its hub 7c pivoted horizontally to a bracket k on the under side of the car body. L represents a transverse intermediate rock lever pivoted in a substantially horizontal position on a bracket Z on the under side of a car body and having its inner arm pivotally connected with the upper horizontal arm k of the elbow lever. M represents an upright ratchet rod passing through an opening in the car floor and guided near its upper end in a bracket m on the adjacent side Wall of the car body and connected at its lower end with the outer arm of the rock lever. m surrounding this red and bearing against the guide bracket m and a collar m on the rod serves to move this rod, the rock lever, and the elbow lever in the direction for holding the lower arm of the latter yieldingly in contact with. the cam. At its upper end the ratchet rod has pivotally mounted thereon a s rin ressed mud n which en a es with a ratchet wheel N. As the salient part of the cam engages with the depending arm of the elbow lever the ratchet rod is moved upwardly and its pawl moves the ratchet wheel forward one tooth. As the receding part of the cam is presented to the depending arm of the elbow lever the spring m pushes the ratchet rod downwardly and causes its pawl to take up a new tooth of the ratchet wheel. Backward movement of the latter is prevented by means of' a detent pawl 11 engaging therewith. The ratchet wheel is moved forward intermittently in this matter while the car is in motion and the movement of this ratchet wheel is transmitted to the units wheel of the cyclometer or distance register by reducing gearing which consists preferably of an intermediate wheel 0 meshing with a pinion 0 on the ratchet wheel, an intermediate pinion 0 connected with the intermediate gear wheel and meshing with a final gear wheel 0 and a shaft composed of a A spring rigid section 1) j ournaled in the register frame and connected with the units wheel of the distance register and a flexible section p which connects the rigid shaft section 1) with the shaft of the final gear wheel, 0. The shafts of the ratchet wheel N, the intermediate gear wheel 0 the final gear wheel 0" and the cooperating pinions are mounted in a frame 0 which is rigidly secured to the adj acent wall of the railway car. As the frame of the registering devices rise and fall owing to the vibrations of the car the driving connection between the reduced gearing and the cyrlometer is not disturbed owing to the flexible shaft which connects the same.

inasmuch as the body of the car at times rocks in a vertical plane cross wise, provision must be made for preventing the lower arm of the elbow lever from becoming displaced relative to the cam on the car axle. For this purpose this arm is connected with the hub of this lever means of a pivot 1" arranged horizontally and lengthwise of the car, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby permitting this arm to swing by gravity lengtlnvise of the car axle during the transversely rocking movement of the body and always retaining its lower end in operative engagement with the cam.

By employing the transverse intermediate lever L it is possible to arrange the cam on the car axle adjacent to the inner side of one of the car wheels and place the motion transmitting device on the side of the car where it is out of the way and not liable to be interfered with.

The numbers representing the distance which the car has traveled in any particular time are arranged in line on the several distance recording dials and are exposed through the slot or opening a in the face plate of the register frame.

Whenever a lot of mail matter is weighed either when put on or put off the train at any particular station a record is produced showing whether the particular lot of mail was put on or ofl and also how many miles the car had traveled at that time. This record is preferably produced in duplicate one for the use of the Government and one for the use of the railroad company. The preferred means for this purpose shown in the drawings are constructed as follows: S, S represent front and rear inking ribbons and T, T front and rear record sheets or strips of paper which move vertically past the opening in the face plate. The rear record sheet is arranged between the front and rear ribbons while the front record sheet is arranged in front of the front ink ribbon. The record sheets are of such width that they extend across the face of the two registering devices in either posi tion of the weight register and are preferably ruled so that the number of miles may be recorded in a column 25 and 011 the right edge of the strip while the weight of the mail matter which is put on and off the car may be recorded in adjacent columns 15 t on the opposite edge of the strip, as indicated in Fig. 8. The record sheets are preferably unwound from spools, drums or rollers U U mounted 011 shafts u, u which are jouraled in the side plates of the frame above the register opening a while their lower ends each pass between a pair of delivery rollers U U journaled on the side plates below the register opening. Each of the ink ribbons is preferably divided into a narrow section 8 which is about equal in width to the printing face of the cyclometer wheels and a wide section 8 which will cover the printing face of the weight register wheels in either position of the same. Each of these ink ribbon sections is unwound from a spool or drum TV mounted on a shaft or rod 20 supported on the side plates of the frame above the registering opening while their lower ends are wound upon spools or drums W W mounted on shafts w 20 which are journaled in the side plates below the register opening. The supplyspools of the ink ribbons and record sheets are arranged so as to alternate with each other and the ink ribbon receiving spools or drums and the pairs of record sheet delivery rollers are also arranged to alternate with each other, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

x represents a platen arranged in front of the front record sheet and movable toward and from the face of the register wheels which are exposed through the register opening. Upon moving this platen backward the several record sheets and ink ribbons are pressed firmly against each other and against the particular type or numbers of the register wheels which are in line with the registering opening, thereby producing the impression of the respective numbers on both of the record sheets. This platen is preferably moved toward and from the registering wheels by means of an elbow lever X which is pivoted on the side plates of the frame so as to swing in a vertical plane and which carries the platen on its lower depending arm 00 while its upper forwardly projecting arm x serves as a handle for manipulating the same. The extremities of the ribbons and sheets while rolled up are separated a considerable distance but adjacent to the registering opening these ribbons and strips are held close together in a parallel position by means of transverse guide rods y, which are arranged on the side plates above and below the register opening and around which the ribbons and sheets pass upon approaching the guide opening and receding therefrom, thereby always insuring a uniform record. The shafts of the ribbon receiving spools and of the recording sheet delivery rollers are preferably journaled in fixed bearings on the side plates of the main frame but the shafts or rods which support the ribbon and sheet supply spools W, U, U are ournaled in bearings formed at the inner ends of inclined slots y which open upwardly. This construction of the bearings for the upper or sup.- ply spool shafts permits of readily inserting these shafts in their bearings or removing them therefrom for convenience in replenishing or renewing the supply of ink ribbons and record sheets.

As each parcel of mail matter is weighed the ink ribbons and record sheets are automatically shifted forward one space so as to present a new portion of the ribbons and sheets to the registers preparatory to producing a record of the weight of the mail matter and the distance which the car has traveled at that time. The mechanism shown in the drawings effects this forward movement of the ink ribbons and record sheet automatically and intermittently and is constructed as follows:

2 represents a ratchet wheel arranged between the lower or receiving spools W of the rear ink ribbon and secured to the shaft w thereof. This ratchet wheel is engaged on its rear side by means of a pawl 2 which is pivoted on a bracket 2 secured to the lower part of the scale bar. This pawl is provided in rear of its pivot with a weighted extension or tail 2 which rests on the bracket and yieldingly holds the front end or nose of the pawl in position to engage the opposing tooth of the ratchet wheel and turn the same during the downward stroke of the scale bar but permit the pawl during the upward or return stroke of the scale bar to clear the ratchet wheel without moving it backward.

Motion is transmitted from the shaft 4.0 which. carries the receiving spools of the rear ink ribbon sections to the shaft to which carries the receiving spools of the front ink ribbon sections by means of gear wheels 2, 2 secured to the receiving shafts e0 w at the corresponding ends thereof and an intermediate gear wheel 2 meshing with the gear wheels 2 2 and turning loosely on the shaft 2 which supports the delivery roller V of the pair which discharges the rear record sheet.

The delivery rollers V V of both pairs are rotated in unison from the shaft 10 by means of gear wheels 2 z secured to the outer ends of the shafts which carry the rollers V a gear wheel 2 secured to the shaft w and meshing with the gear wheel a and an intermediate gear wheel 2 mounted loosely on the shaft w and meshing with both of the gear wheels 2 2, as shown in Fig. 3.

The relative timing or proportioning of the gearing which drives the ink ribbons and those whichoperate the record sheets is such that the record sheets are moved forward a greater distance at each step than the ink ribbons. By this means a suitable separation is obtained on the recording strips between one line of record and the next to permit of conveniently reading the same but only so much of the ink ribbons is moved forward as is required to furnish the ink for producing a clear impression, thereby avoiding too frequent renewal or shifting of the ribbons.

When an impression is made on the record sheet at any particular time of the weight of mail matter which is being put on or off the train this weight appears either in the on or "off column of the record sheet and the number of miles which the train has traveled at that particular time is also recorded on the sheet transversely in line with the record of the weight, as shown in Fig. 8, whereby the total amount of mail matter and the distance the same has been carried can be readily computed and a charge for the same entered accordingly.

The method of utilizing the record produced by this apparatus is as follows: Assume that one pound of mail matter is transported for the Government by the railroad a distance of one mile for one-fourth of a cent. According to the record on strip shown in Fig. 8, a charge of $1.87 5 would be made for carrying the first batch of fifty pounds of mail matter a distance of fifteen miles. At this stopping place or mail-station, twenty one pounds of mail matter are added and thirty-six pounds are subtracted, leaving a difference of thirty-five pounds on the train which is carried twenty-seven miles to the neXt stopping place, or forty-two miles from the starting point. The charge for carrying the net weight of mail matter from the first to the second stopping place accordingly would be 352.3625. By adding the weight of the mail matter taken on and deducting the weight of the mail matter taken off at each mail station, the net weight of the same is obtained which is carried from one station to another. This weight multiplied first by the number of miles between the respective stations which the same has been carried and then by the cost per mile gives the cost of carrying the particular batch of mail matter the respective distance.

I claim as my invention 1. An apparatus of the character de scribed comprising a scale, a cyclometer, and means for simultaneously producing a record of said scale and cyclometer on the same sheet, substantially as set forth.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a scale, a cyclometer, and means for simultaneously producing a record of said scale and cyclometer side by side on the same sheet, substantially as set forth.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising a printing scale and a printing cyclometer, said parts being organized to permit of producing simultaneous record thereof on a sheet and said printing scale having a part which is capable of adjustment for changing the position of the record which it produces on the sheet relatively to the record of the cyclometer, substantially as set forth.

4:. An apparatus of the character described comprising a scale having printing members, a cyclometer having printing members, means for supporting a record receiving sheet adjacent to the printing mem bers of the scale and cyclometer, meansfor simultaneously producing a record of said scale and cyclometer printing members on the sheet, and means for shifting said scale printing members relatively to said sheet to permit of producing the scale record on different parts of said sheet, substantially as set forth.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, means for supporting a record sheet on said frame, a scale comprising a plurality of dial wheels, having their peripheries provided with type numbers which are adapted to be engaged by said sheet, a scale bar guided on said frame and adapted to be depressed by the weight of the matter attached thereto, springs for yieldingly holding the scale bar in an elevated position, a gear rack arranged on said scale bar, an elongated pinion meshing with said rack and operatively connected with said dial wheels, and a carriage which slides on said frame and upon which said wheels are mounted, substantially as set forth.

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising a frame, means for supporting a record sheet on said frame, a scale comprising a plurality of dial wheels having their peripheries provided with type numbers which are adapted to be engaged by said sheet, a scale bar guided on said frame and adapted to be depressed by the weight of the matter attached thereto, springs for yieldingly holding the scale bar in an elevated position, a gear rack arranged on said scale bar, an elongated'pinion meshing with said rack and operatively connected with said dial wheels, a carriage which slides on said frame and upon which said wheels are mounted, and a handle connected with said carriage and provided with stops adapted to engage said frame for limiting the movement of said carriage, substantially as set forth.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising a scale having printing register wheels, an ink ribbon arranged in front of said wheels, means for feeding a recording sheet past said wheels, and an actuating device for said ribbon and sheet feeding means operated by the movement of said scale, substantially as set forth.

8. An apparatus of the character de scribed comprising a scale bar, printing register wheels operatively connected with said bar, an ink ribbon feeding device, a record sheet feeding device, and means for actuating said feeding devices comprising a ratchet wheel and a pawl mounted on said scale bar engaging with said ratchet wheel, substan tially as set forth.

9. An apparatus of the character described comprising a scale bar, printing register wheels operatively connected with said bar, an ink ribbon feeding device, a record sheet feeding device, gearing connecting said ribbon and sheet feeding devices, and means for actuating said feeding devices comprising a ratchet wheel and a pawl mounted on said scale bar and engaging with said ratchet wheel, substantially as set forth.

10. An apparatus of the character described comprising a scale bar, printing scale wheels operatively connected with said bar, printing cyclometer wheels arranged adjacent to the scale wheels, separate ink ribbons arranged in front of the scale wheels and the cyclometer wheels, supply spools from which said ribbons are unwound, re ceiving spools upon which said ribbons are wound, a ratchet wheel arranged between said receiving spools and secured thereto, a pawl mounted on the scale bar and engaging with said ratchet wheel, supply spools from which record sheets are unwound, cooperating delivery rollers which receive the delivery end of said record sheet, and gearing connecting said ribbon receiving spools and said hsheet delivery roller, substantially as set fort l/Vitness my hand this 29th day of August, 1905.

ARTHUR L. GEORGER.

Witnesses THEO. L. PoPP, Louis W. GRATZ. 

